But last Thursday, bracing himself in seat 11F as US Airways Flight 1549 headed for a crash landing in the Hudson River, he said a prayer. He repeated it, over and over, in his head.

“Please, God, don't let me die. Please, God, don't let me die …”

Norton survived, as did the other 154 passengers and crew members. Now, like the rest of them, this 35-year-old husband and father from Matthews is trying to make sense of what happened and what role God and faith may have played in the happy ending....more